Engine block heater

ABSTRACT

An engine block heater has a cylindrical body member adapted to be inserted into a round opening in an engine block wall and carries an electric heating coil for heating the space on the inner side of the wall. The body member is secured in the opening by means of an angular claimping member mounted on the inner side of the body member and formed of a bendable material. The clamping member has a longitudinal dimension less than the diameter of the opening and is engaged on the inside angle thereof by a pressure bar which is threaded on a screw extending through the body member whereby as the screw is turned from the outer side of the body member the pressure bar bears against the clamping member to straighten it into a longitudinal dimension greater than the diameter of the opening to engage against the inner side of the wall. The clamping member is channel-shaped in cross section and the pressure bar has its ends seated in the channels.

United States Patent 1191 Feldmann ENGINE BLOCK HEATER [75] Inventor:Robert G. Feldmann, Eden Prairie, Minn.

[73] Assignee: Pyroil Company, Inc., La

Crosse,Wis. [22] Filed: Aug. 10, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 279,670

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,987,283 6/1961 Bleckmann219/336 2,242,503 5/1941 Baule 292/212 X 3,646,314 2/1972 Windsor219/208 3,587,548 6/1971 Wernicke 123/1425 E 2,401,847 6/1946 Urbant eta1 219/208 X Primary Exam1'r 1er-A. Bartis Attorney-Carlsen, Carlsen 8r.Strum [5 7] ABSTRACT 7 An engine block heater has a cylindrical bodymember adapted to be inserted into a round opening in an engine blockwall and carries an electric heating coil for heating the space on theinner side of the wall. The body member is secured in the opening bymeans of an angular claimping member mounted on the inner side of thebody member and formed of a bendable material. The clamping member has alongitudinal dimension less than the diameter of the opening and isengaged on the inside angle thereof by a pressure bar which is threadedon a screw extending through the body member whereby as the screw isturned from the outer side of the body member the pressure bar bearsagainst the clamping member to straighten it into a longitudinaldimension greater than the diameter of the opening to engage against theinner side of the wall. The clamping member is channel-shaped in crosssection and the pressure bar has its ends seated in the channels.

PAIENTEI] MI 18 i975 FIE: 3

FIE: 4'

1 ENGINE BLOCK HEATER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION It is common,particularly in northern climates, for vehicle owners to install anelectric block or jacket heater in the internal combustion engine of anautomobile to keep the engine coolant warm during inoperative periods tofacilitate starting.

Generally these heaters are permanently installed and are provided withelectrical leads adapted to be connected to a nearby electrical outlet.Typical examples of such heaters are disclosed in U. S. Pat. No.3,148,268, dated Sept. 8, 1964, to Heinbuch, Canadian Pat. No. 512,017,dated Apr. 19, 1955, to Beaton et al. and Canadian Pat. No. 850,767,dated Sept. 1, 1970, to Ehgoetz.

The present invention is not concerned with the heater itself but ratherwith the means for permanently mounting the heater in the block. It isdesirable that the heater have a relatively simple yet foolproofmounting means so that vehicle owners, service stations and the likemight install the heater without the need of special skills or specialtools.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The primary object of the invention is toprovide an engine block heater whichcan be readily, simply and securelyinstalled in the block of an internal combustion engine and wherein thelocking or mounting means can be effectively operated without the needof special tools. I

With this and other objects in view the invention broadly comprises aheating coil mounted on a cylindrical body member and adapted to beinserted into a round opening in the engine block wall in pluggingrelation thereto, a clamping member of bendable material mounted on theinnerside of the body member having two legs arranged in a V-shape andhaving a channel shape in cross section, and a pressure bar of rigidmaterial carried by a screw extending axially through the body memberwith the ends of the bar disposed in the legs of the clamping memberwhereby as the screw is turned the pressure bar will be tightenedagainst the clamping memberand bendthe legs thereof into alignment andagainst the inner side of the block wall to secure the body member inthe opening.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the drawings;

FIG. 1 is aright side elevation of the heater just after manualinsertion into the opening in the wall of the engine block.

FIG. 2 is similar to FIG. 1 but showing the clamping member tightenedagainst the inside of the wall to lock the heater in place.

FIG. 3 is an inner side elevation of the heater in mounted conditiontaken on line 33 of FIG. 2 and with the heating element partially brokenaway to fully expose the clamping member.

FIG. 4 is a diametrical section through the heater taken on line 4-4 ofFIG. 3 and showing a tightening wrench in broken lines.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now more particularlyto the drawing reference numerals will be used to denote like parts ofstructural features in the different views. The numeral 10 denotes aportion of the side wall of the block of an internal combustion engineof an automobile, the wall being the outer wall of the engine coolantjacket and having a round opening 11 therein.

The heater is designated generally at 12 and the basic member thereof isa disk-like cylindrical body member 14 adapted to fit in opening 11 andhaving an external flange l5 and a peripheral groove 16 receiving thesealing ring 17. The flange bears against the outer side 18 of the wall10 with the ring 17 providing a peripheral seal between the member 14and the circular wall of the opening 11.

A heating element 19 is mounted in an off centered position in member 14with the end portions 20 thereof extending through the member and beingconnected to the electrical lead line 21 whereby when the line 21 isconnected to a source of electric energy the element 19 will be heatedto the desired temperature.

A machine screw 24 extends in an axial direction loosely through themember 14 at or near the center thereof. The member 14 may be providedwith a recess 25 on its outer side for receiving the head of the screwand a liquid sealing washer 26 is provided between the head and bodymember 14 to prevent liquid leakage through the screw receiving passage.The screw head is slotted or hexagonal or the like for gripping andturning the same.

The clamping member is designated generally by the number 27. It isformed of an elongated stripof meta] having a bendable center section 28connecting a pair of channel shaped sections 29 each of which terminatesin a friction tab 30. The center section 28 is bent, as shown in FIG. 1,so that sections 29 are disposed at an obtuse angle to each other in therange of about degrees to degrees. In this condition the straight linelength of member 27 between the ends of tabs 30 is about the same orslightly less than the diameter of the opening 11.

An elongated pressure bar 32 has its longitudinal center threaded on theinner end portion of the screw 24. This bar may also be channel shapedin cross section with side walls 34 serving to stiffen the bar. The baris shorter than the clamping member 27 and has a width such that the endportions will seat rat-her snugly but slidably in the channel shapedsections of member 27.

The device is manufactured and sold to the motorist, service station orthe like assembled as shown in FIG. 1 with the clamping member in a bentor shortened condition for easy insertion of the heater through opening11 and the body member 14 into seated or plugging relation therein. Theinstaller then grips the head of screw 24 with a suitable tool andtightens it up. Members 27 and 32 will be held against rotation byengaging element 19. I

As the screw is tightened into bar 32 the bar will be forced inwardlytoward the body member 14. As this occurs and with the center section 28of the clamping member 27 engaging against the body member, the ends ofthe pressure bar sliding along the channels of sections 29 willstraighten the clamping member about its center until the friction tabs30 thereon are moved into engagement with the inner side 36 of wall 10,as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, to securely lock the heater 12 in the wall10. Inasmuch as tabs 30 curve slightly out of the plane of the clampingmember toward wall 10 there is a bow in the clamping member between eachtab 30 and center portion 28. The ends of the pressure bar engage themember 27 at the approximate center of the bows to hold the channelsections under tension and assure a tight and permanent lockingengagement. 5

The construction accordingly provides an engine block heater which canbe quickly and securely mounted in an engine jacket wall.

Having now therefore fully illustrated and described the invention, whatI claim to be new and desire to protect by United States Letters Patentis:

1. An engine jacket heater adapted to be inserted inwardly through around opening in a cylinder block wall and secured thereto comprising,

a. a cylindrical body member adapted to plug said opening and having aheating element mounted thereon to extend inwardly into the block withelectric connection terminals projecting from the outer side thereof,

b. a screw extending axially and loosely through the body member withthe head thereof on the outside,

c. an elongated clamping member having a broad V- 1 with the endsthereof slidably seated in the saidv leg channels whereby as the screwis turned from the outside and threaded into the pressure bar thepressure bar will be pulled toward the body member to spread the legs ofsaid clamping member and bend said member toward a flattened condition,

y f. said clamping member having an initial length from tip to tip ofthe legs less than the diameter of the opening but having a lengthgreater than the diameter of the opening when it is in its flattenedconditron.

1. An engine jacket heater adapted to be inserted inwardly through around opening in a cylinder block wall and secured thereto comprising,a. a cylindrical body member adapted to plug said opening and having aheating element mounted thereon to extend inwardly into the block withelectric connection terminals projecting from the outer side thereof, b.a screw extending axially and loosely through the body member with thehead thereof on the outside, c. an elongated clamping member having abroad V-shape with a pair of legs joined by a bendable center section,said center section journaled on the screw on the inner side of the bodymember with the legs diverging in their extension from the body member,d. the legs of the clamping member being channel shaped in cross sectionopening away from the body member, e. a pressure bar having a lengthless than the diameter of the opening and being threaded on the screwwith the ends thereof slidably seated in the said leg channels wherebyas the screw is turned from the outside and threaded into the pressurebar the pressure bar will be pulled toward the body member to spread thelegs of said clamping member and bend said member toward a flattenedcondition, f. said clamping member having an initial length from tip totip of the legs less than the diameter of the opening but having alength greater than the diameter of the opening when it is in itsflattened condition.